


Eyes cannot hide true desires

by serendipitous_rambles



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, this is how i want the fair to go, watch me clown again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-17 14:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21056102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: When Gilbert and Anne dance at the county fair, realisations are made...





	Eyes cannot hide true desires

"Welcome everyone to this year's county fair." Miss Stacy stood on stage, looking out into the audience. It was the first time a woman had made the opening announcements, normally the minister would make a speech, but Miss Stacy had been the main organiser this year (along with Mrs Lynde) and reluctantly she'd been allowed to welcome everyone.

"To open the dance, I have chosen to bestow the honour upon my two best students: Anne Shirley-Cuthbert and Gilbert Blythe."

Everyone turned to look at Anne, and instinctively she stepped back before Diana held her firmly in place. Opening the dance was a huge honour, there must have been a mistake. 

But Miss Stacy was smiling at her eagerly, and Anne had no choice but to step forward towards the dance floor. However Gilbert was looking just as awkward about the whole affair, politely offering his hand to her with a nervous laugh. 

The whole town's eyes were upon them, waiting for them to begin.

"Just like we practiced, right?" Gilbert's smile instantly sent a calmness through her, and she closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. They'd danced together before in class, so what made this so different?

The music started up and Gilbert took a step, Anne following his lead. She looked around at the faces watching them, but she couldn't focus on any of them. All she knew was that they were staring at her, no doubt whispering about her too.

Her feet stumbled and she accidentally stood on Gilbert's foot. His face gave nothing away other than his lips pursing slightly. 

Anne looked around and saw Josie Pye giggling, along with a few others starting to snicker.

"Don't look at them," Gilbert whispered softly, "look at me."

She hesitantly pulled her eyes away from the crowd and into Gilbert's. He was smiling at her, his eyes wrinkling and nose scrunching. She couldn't help but smile back, and soon they were dancing smoothly. Gilbert was no longer leading, but rather they were dancing  _ together _ . The crowd and sneering faces faded away, and in that moment all Anne could think about was Gilbert. 

Her senses were bombarded by him. The feel of his hand in hers, the sight of him beaming at her, the sound of him quietly humming along to the music, even the earthy smell of him, somehow the smell of his soap mixed with nature, of the farm, of the trees and grass. It wasn't unpleasant, it was comforting. 

Before she knew what was happening, he had spun her around and the song had ended. Everyone was applauding, and Gilbert had bowed to Anne before she wondered back to her spot by Diana in almost a daze. She'd been so lost in Gilbert that she hadn't even noticed the dance ending. It felt too short, and all she could think was: "is that it?"

Other couples had started to fill the dance floor now, and of course Gilbert was now dancing with Miss Rose. All Anne knew about her was that she worked with Dr Ward which is how Gilbert met her. She seemed nice enough, a little older, but Anne had never really considered Gilbert had... romantic feelings for her. She supposed it was inevitable, a beautiful girl like that, what boy wouldn't be charmed? And clearly Gilbert had fallen under her spell.

Anne stood on the sidelines watching them, trying to ignore whatever feeling she had in her chest. Gilbert was her friend and she should be happy he's found someone, but it felt wrong somehow. It was bound to have happened, that one day Gilbert would find someone, but she'd just never given it much thought. Now it had happened, she felt...sad?

She decided she didn't feel like watching the dance and went to explore the rest of the fair, quietly slipping away from the crowd.

* * *

"Who was that you danced with?" Winnie asked, her voice calm as ever.

Gilbert raised an eyebrow, "Anne?"

"You seem awfully fond of her."

"She's just a friend." Gilbert shrugged, still leading the dance.

"I'm not blind."

"What do you mean?"

Winnie sighed, but maintained her posture. "The way you look at her. Like she's the only one around."

Gilbert shook his head looking Winnie in the eyes. 

"A girl can tell when a boy looks at her but is thinking of someone else." She said, a sad smile on her face. "You love her."

"I don't know what I feel for Anne."

"I'm not angry at you. I see how you practically lit up around her."

"Winnie I…" Gilbert didn't know how to end that sentence. He wasn't in love with Winnie, maybe given enough time it could grow to love. But he didn't know what he felt for Anne. Anne was... Anne.

"Relax, we weren't even officially courting." She held her head high, "You're a dear boy, but I don't know if we really would be a good match."

"No?" He raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. "And why is that?"

"Your manners are nothing to desire that's for sure."

He tried not to feel offended. "Oh?"

The song ended, and she politely curtsied to him. "I don't want to stand in the way of true love. Anyone with two eyes can see how you feel about each other. You looked genuinely happy, and I can't remember the last time you smiled like that."

Gilbert took her hand, "I'm so sorry, Winnie."

"Don't be." she smiled, "But do me a favour?"

"Anything."

"Tell her how you feel." 

He nodded, and she kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Gilbert. You'll always be a dear friend to me, make no mistake. I hope things turn out well for you and your Anne."

And with that, Winnie had stepped back romantically, and rather offered a new path - friendship. A weight had been lifted off Gilbert, as if he were suddenly given a chance to go back and fix things with Anne. This time he would not hide from his feelings. He would declare them, and if she did not return them, then he will know once and for all. But until he did, he wouldn't be able to get her out of his mind, no matter who he tried to put in her place.

He scanned the crowd but Anne was nowhere to be seen, and he started roaming the fair. The whole town was apparently in attendance, and he got lost in the crowd, pushing past faces in an attempt to find the right one. He was about to give up when he turned around and quite literally bumped into Anne, his hand reaching out automatically to steady her.

"Gilbert." She breathed out, adjusting the hat that had almost been knocked off her head.

"Anne," he couldn't help but thinking about what Winnie had said, about how he looked at her. In this moment, everyone else had faded and it really was just Anne. 

"Where's Miss Rose?" She asked politely but it didn't sound like she actually wanted to know.

"Probably dancing with some handsome stranger." He waved his hand nonchalantly. 

"I thought she was here with you?"

"She is…" he said slowly and Anne's expression changed behind the eyes, a hint of hurt.

"She's...a lovely girl. I'm sure you're very happy."

He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, "She is. But we're not... she's a friend."

"You haven't officially started courting?"

"No, but that's because she knew it wouldn't work between us."

"I don't understand why, she's beautiful, wonderfully dressed, and no doubt smart to be working with Dr Ward."

Gilbert nodded, "But she knew I was...in love with someone else…."

His eyes met Anne's as he nervously swallowed, trying to read her face but Anne was giving nothing away.

"Oh…"

He slowly reached out, taking both of her hands in his. "She knew my heart belonged to someone else first... _ you. _ "

"Oh." Anne felt so stupid standing there, but all she could say was "oh". Her brain couldn't understand it. Gilbert? Love?  _ Her _ ?

"When I was with Winnie, everything felt so…superficial. Like I was only seeing half a picture. But when I'm around you, everything's brighter. When Mary died, you were the only one who really understood what I was going through. You didn't let me quit my dream because you know how important this is to me. Winnie is lovely... but she doesn't understand me the way you do. I don't feel quite like myself around her, as if I'm someone I'm not. But it never feels like that with you, it's easy, it's... it's the way I want to feel all the time."

Anne looked down at their hands, how perfect it all felt. She understood what he was saying, how she felt when they were dancing was the way she always wanted to feel. He made her feel less alone in the world, made her feel like there was still some good left in it when all seems hopeless. They understood each other more than she realised.

She dropped his hands and threw her arms around his neck, and he returned the hug, holding her tightly. They both laughed in joy, finally releasing years of whatever this tension between them had been. When she pulled back, their faces were close together, and before she could think of what Marilla would say if she knew, Anne closed the gap, kissing him lightly. 

He looked at her with the biggest, lovestruck grin she'd ever seen and knew that there was no one else she'd rather have look at her like this. 

"May I have this dance?" She held out a hand, Gilbert still dazed from her kiss, cheeks pink.

"Yes." He managed to mumble, before Anne lead him back towards the crowd of dancers.

As they twirled around, hearts full, Gilbert caught sight of Winnie. She was stood at the side, watching them, her hands across her chest.

"Thank you." He mouthed to her, and she smiled.

Gilbert offered to walk Anne home after the fair. It wasn't the first time they'd walked together, but this time they walked with their hands interlocked, and would continue to do so for many, many years.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm back and down to clown, the fair will be nothing like this just watch


End file.
